1. Variety Studio at Holt Renfrew with Moroccanoil
Once again, I was able to be a fly on the wall at the annual Variety Studio at Holt Renfrew on Bloor St, watching celebs in their natural habitat, as they sat on couches sipping Belmonte Raw juice, played pattycakes, and hung out with their publicists. This year was quite eventful and I wrote an entire post about it on Yorkdale.com, so if you’re into Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult, Bryan Cranston, Idris Elba, Sandra Bullock, and more – you definitely want to check it out! Who asked for an extra Moroccanoil goodie bag for his wife? Who refused to make eye contact? Who was the loudest interviewee? Read all about it here!

2. Essentials Lounge
Each year the Essentials Lounge by EGPR is a much-needed haven, helping journalists and bloggers prep for extra-long TIFF days and nights by pampering us with the essentials (get it?) necessary to get through 2 weeks of parties, interviews, red carpets, and more, in style and in good health. As always, this lounge focused on handing out swag to the media, not the celebs…and this year I felt especially spoiled! Mainly, because…Krispy Kreme doughnuts! I don’t know about you, but I am OBSESSED with them. I know I shouldn’t have them all the time, but when life hands you a box of 6 glazed doughnuts, you take them and you eat them immediately. After my doughnut break, other notable stops at Essentials included Dior Beauty makeup touch-ups, cutest Saucony Original shoes for those long days on your feet, personalized bottles of Thierry Mugler Angel perfume from Clarins Canada, comfy Canadian-designed Knix Wear underwear, natural beauty goodies from Kosmea Australia, and did I mention the doughnuts?! Needless to say, I emerged from this lounge, loaded up like a mule, with complimentary Vitaminwater Zero in tow and doughnut glaze on my lips. Thanks, EGPR! I blame you for those extra 10 pounds of Krispy Kreme doughnuts I am going to eat this month.

3. Sky Afterparty with CHANEL
When CHANEL invited me to attend the TIFF afterparty for Diane Kruger’s latest movie Sky, I was ecstatic. As you all know, Diane is a huge style inspiration and I couldn’t believe I would get to “party” with her at Soho House in Toronto. So the night I flew back to the city from NYFW, I rushed home to change, then rushed back to the event in my best Diane-approved outfit, only to find myself staring at the back of Diane Kruger’s beautiful head for most of the night, too shy to approach her, making my dream of photoboothing with her (or even having a small chat) go up in smoke. Such is the life of a peasant civilian. Kruger, who was, of course, wearing an exquisite CHANEL Haute Couture frock, was hanging out with her co-stars, director, and friends in the corner of the patio, while the rest of us tried to mingle nearby as inconspicuously as possible. I have to say I was a bit sad that we didn’t become BFFs at this party…after all we have so much in common – we both love cats, CHANEL, and Joshua Jackson…but alas, this time, a meet-cute was not in the stars. Perhaps another time.

Canada Day is around the corner and this year we wanted to showcase some of the wonderful Canadian brands available at Yorkdale. Some, like HBC Collection are iconic and can be found in many Canadian homes, while others like Erin Kleinberg and ela handbags are less mainstream, but nevertheless deserve your attention.

If you did a quick glance inside your wardrobe, how many Canadian brands would you find there? Adding just a few more Canadian pieces to your wardrobe every now and then would help support local brands and designers, while promoting Canadian fashion industry in general. So many designers have to leave the country in order to find popularity, and it’s really sad, because the talent is all here, we just need to help nourish it.

So next time you’re looking for a work outfit, skip your fave fast-fashion retailer and consider picking up a few well-made items from Judith & Charles or Pink Tartan (avail at Holt Renfrew). Instead of buying a “designer” purse, invest in a timeless bag by ela or Mackage (avail at Holt Renfrew and Mendocino). Buy a stunning Dean Davidson (avail at Holt Renfrew) or Jackson Rowe (avail at Mendocino) jewelry piece that you’ll keep forever, or a trendy Brave leather belt (available at Mendocino) that will go with all of your outfits.

I’m not saying that you should avoid all non-Canadian brands, but with so many amazing local designers, adding a few more Canadian pieces to your wardrobe should be a breeze. And what better time to start than Canada Day?

Share your fave Canadian designers in the comments, and HAPPY CANADA DAY!

It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of ela Handbags. Each season I try to add at least 1 piece of ela’s special brand of “humble luxury” to my wardrobe, and I am always tempted to buy more, as cool new styles arrive. Well, now, thanks to the new collaboration between Holt Renfrew’s H Project, ela Handbags, and Burt’s Bees, there’s yet another ela bag that I have added to my bag rotation, and it’s a good one!

H Project has partnered with ela, Canadian accessories brand co-founded by Ela and Martin Aldorsson, and Burt’s Bees, to create an exclusive, limited-edition ‘editor’s pouch’ in support of Pollinator Partnership Canada– the largest non-profit organization in the world dedicated exclusively to the protection and promotion of pollinators and their ecosystems. The pouch was designed in Canada, featuring a stunning floral motif, and comes with three beautiful Burt’s Bees 100% Natural Lip Crayons – all that for only $50! 100% of proceeds will go to the Pollinator Partnership Canada, so you can feel even better about your purchase.

The clutch will be available at Holt Renfrew stores across Canada starting May 1st, just in time for Mother’s Day. Share your thoughts in the comments!

It’s official…2014 is out, 2015 is in! But before we move on to all things new and exciting, I wanted to do a little revisiting, in part to look back on the wonderful year that 2014 was, and in part to have this post for posterity, and in case I ever need a reminder of some awesome things I did last year. If you hate those “me, me, me” posts, then this one may not be for you. Sorry (not really).

2014 started out pretty well for me, unlike 2013 (credit card fraud galore!), I kicked off the year with a brand new video segment I created in partnership with Yorkdale and Max Kopanygin, called Styled By Nelia. Since January, we shot 9 segments, with 9 amazing retailers, and plan to shoot lots more in 2015. Since I truly hate to be on video, this was a huge challenge for me, but I got more and more comfortable with every episode we shot…and hope to get a little better with each video going forward.

In February, I had the pleasure of participating in a photoshoot for eLUXE’s Spring 2014 lookbook, featuring Canadian bloggers. And as I will find out later, this will not be the last collab with eLUXE that I would shoot in 2014.

For some reason, this year, I am woefully unprepared for winter’s arrival, but since it’s practically end of November and there’s snow on the ground, I guess it’s time to snap out of my denial and start shopping. Full disclosure: I have yet to buy any presents, but I do have some ideas as to what I’ll be picking up for my loved ones this holiday season. And just in case you’re in the same boat, I thought I’d share some of my fave holiday gift ideas with you.

I glimpsed most of these back in July, during the annual holiday previews, and I have to say that this year in particular, those previews came in super handy. I got to learn about the existence of cool adult onesies, played with the Big Love Ball, and tried on the gorgeous Thomas Sabo infinity ring; I self-medicated with the all-natural Saje Pocket Pharmacy, and sipped on Inniskillin sparkling icewine. In short, I got to preview and test out a lot of the picks below, and I hope that this gift guide gives you some ideas for your holiday shopping this season. If you’re looking for stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, and presents for him, her, and the kids, then this is a great place to start! Happy Shopping!

Another TIFF came and went, and while I was only here to catch the first few days of the festival, this year’s celeb sightings were pretty memorable to say the least. Below are my top 5 TIFF experiences this year. Grab some snacks, it’s going to be a long one.

1. Variety Studio Presented By Moroccanoil At Holt Renfrew

Last year, Variety Studio was definitely a highlight, but this year…oh, this year was juicy! After enjoying my amazing Moroccanoil hand/arm massage just like the one celebs were getting (hey, Jemy!), I settled down on the couch to people celeb-watch, and let me tell you, being a fly on the wall at one of these things can be very insightful. While there was no Fassbender action this year, I did find myself in the eye of the Cumberbatch-Redmayne-Worthington-Goode-Knightley-Jones-Leech tornado…the Brits taking over the room in a loud, accented storm of hugs, compliments, and camaraderie. You could just tell that all those actors are truly fond of each other, and are definitely not “over it” all just yet.

For all the Cumberbatch fans out there, your beloved did seem to be genuinely nice and funny. Upon arrival, he checked out the Moroccanoil station, trying a bit of cream on his hands, before joining the rest of his group for a lively chat. Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch were hugging right above me as I shrinked back into the leather couch, trying not to trip anyone with my feet and knees. That’s when I overheard Redmayne exclaiming post-hug “You smell…delicious!” to Cumberbatch. Must’ve been the Moroccanoil. Redmayne’s fiance Hannah Bagshaw was in the room too, looking lovely and normal, sharing a hug with Cumberbatch, not stuck to Eddie’s side, navigating the room on her own. But back to Cumberbatch…at one point, when the cameras were rolling for a Sam Worthington interview, and a Variety staffer yelled out: “WE ARE ROLLING! QUIET, PLEASE!”, Benedict cheekily and loudly quipped: “Rolling with Sam Worthington? Let’s talk louder then!”, before peeking behind the interview curtain to wink at Worthington.

Out of all the hot Brits in the room, Keira Knightley was actually the one I wanted to get close to (not in a creepy way, I promise!). She’s one of my favourite young actresses, and I was most definitely starstruck. I tried to summon the courage to ask her for a photo, but she was never alone – either chumming it up with her co-stars, or chatting with her hair and makeup people. She wore a beautiful Chanel dress, and I tried to inconspicuously sneak a few shots for my Instagram. She smiled a lot, laughed a lot, shared that she was tired, but definitely didn’t look it. She looked happy, thin, but not frail, healthy, and so very beautiful. Can you tell I have a bit of a crush?

Other notable moments at the Variety Studio included: grabbing a photo with the delightful Bill Nighy, who was walking around with an apple in his hand, never having the moment to himself to actually take a bite, and who made eye contact with everyone in the room, instead of ducking his head and avoiding the normals; watching Richard Gere chatting up the hot tequila girls; realizing that the woman on the couch next to me is Elizabeth Banks, who changed out of her white pumps and into some Birkenstocks for comfort; observing the insanely handsome Matthew Goode and super-stylish Jena Malone light up the room with their larger than life personalities (on two different days) – definitely not wallflower types; sitting on the couch next to Downton Abbey’s Branson’s publicist, before Branson Allen Leech himself leaned over me to talk to her; sharing a serendipitous moment with Mark Ruffalo outside the Variety Studio’s bathroom – if life was a movie, that would’ve been our meet-cute.

One of the best perks of being a blogger is meeting incredibly talented fashion industry insiders – designers, photographers, makeup artists, stylists, editors, PR pros, you name it. And while over the years I’ve met my fair share of famous designers, meeting Zac Posen at Holt Renfrew this week was somehow extra special. Perhaps it was due to the fact that Posen was loveliness personified – approachable, interesting, interested, enthusiastic, and just so nice. In the industry, where poker faces are the norm, and snark is commonplace, it was such a pleasure to meet a designer so friendly and so down-to-earth.

Posen was in Toronto for a special fashion show hosted by philanthropist Suzanne Rogers, with proceeds benefiting Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention. The day after the show, the designer stopped by Holt Renfrew to attend the Zac Posen Fall 2014 trunk show, with 10% of all purchases made from the evening donated to The Fashion for Passion Foundation in support of Boost Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention. He circled the room accompanied by Anna van Ravenstein – Pat Cleveland’s beautiful model daughter. Van Ravenstein fluttered around, showing off Posen’s breathtaking Fall 2014 collection, exuding the same boundless energy and playful personality that her famous mother possesses in spades, and I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

After checking out the collection, making mental wishlists of the dresses that I would buy if I could afford them, I finally got my chance to meet the man of the hour. Along with Hannah Yacobi and her FAJO Magazine team, we chatted with the designer about his Russian heritage (had no idea!), about his show, and of course, fashion. When it came time to snapping photos, after the obligatory “normal” pic, my new BFF turned his face towards me as I turned beet red for a priceless photo. We all laughed, said our good-byes, and he went on to charm the next lucky attendee, as we were left gushing about his loveliness. Just another day in a life of a blogger.

Be still my hopeless-romantic heart, Valentine’s Day is mere days away! And in case your significant other is stumped and doesn’t know what to get you, how about these lovely items? Chocolate and flowers are so banal, why not get her a fragrant diptyque candle, or a heart-shaped Le Creuset casserole?! I repeat…HEART-SHAPED Le Creuset! I mean if that doesn’t say true love, then I really don’t know what love is. Also, in case you didn’t know, Holt Renfrew now stocks Agent Provocateur lingerie! You’re welcome, and happy Valentine’s Day shopping!

I don’t know about you, but summertime is my favourite! I can finally pull out my brightest lipstick, wear white lacey dresses with wild abandon, don those short shorts, and stop worrying about having to bundle myself up in 20 million layers of clothes. Summertime is the best! So to celebrate the official start of summer, I asked my fave Yorkdale employees and fellow Style Council members for their summer essentials, which turned out really fun, and I think y’all should check it out! From the must-have denim jacket, to your next fave summer read, Yorkdale’s got you covered!

Last week, Holt Renfrew hosted designers David Neville and Marcus Wainwright of rag & bone, with a New York-inspired bash. There was a graffiti wall, a pretzel cart, hot-dogs, and cotton candy. My friends and I enjoyed the delicious drinks, and danced the night away to DJ Fathom’s tunes, while drooling over rag & bone’s latest collection (that green jacket, you guys!!!). It was one of the best parties I’ve attended in a long while. So good, in fact, that I really didn’t want to leave at the end of the night. Or was it that I didn’t want to leave without that amazing jacket? Probably both.

If you want to check out rag & bone’sSpring 2013 collection for yourself, stop by Holt Renfrew, as most of the pieces are now in stores. But be warned…you might not be able to walk away.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…